Glasson: “The Privatization of Medicaid Has Been a Failure"

Democratic Candidate for Governor Cathy Glasson headlined a town hall sponsored by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement PAC Wednesday night in Waterloo. The ICU nurse and union leader has made several stops across the state engaging in a series of town halls focused on the concerns of everyday Iowans. Speaking to a packed room at the SingleSpeed Brewery in Waterloo, Glasson addressed the latest developments in the growing Medicaid crisis facing the state. “The privatization of Medicaid by Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds has been a dismal failure and endangered Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens.” Glasson said. “As Governor, I will work from my first hour in office to end the corporate takeover of our Medicaid program and return these services to direct management by the state. Right now, many Iowans with disabilities are not getting the care they deserve. Providers aren’t getting paid. Kim Reynolds is putting profits first and patients dead last. It has to stop.” Glasson’s sharp critique came after it was announced Tuesday that Amerihealth, one of three national companies managing Iowa’s Medicaid program, would be pulling out of the state at the end of the month. Glasson also focused on Iowa’s increasing problems with water pollution. “I believe clean water should be the birthright of every Iowan. For too long, we’ve seen corporate agriculture racking up huge profits in this state while spewing out poison and pollution into our waterways. Enough is enough.” Glasson continued. “As Governor, I will support a moratorium on new permits for factory farms until fewer than 100 waterways are polluted in Iowa. We have to force industrial agriculture to step up and take responsibility for the mess they made.”